When time stops
by thycharmant
Summary: Haruka & Rin were bestfriends but an accident leaves Haruka all alone. Haruka carries a watch which has stopped since the accident but he never went to fix it... How will his encounter with Makoto, an apprentice watchmaker save Haruka from his living nightmare?
1. rin?

"Nanase-san… It's almost time for your class! Wake up"

"What's the time now?" Haruka says sleepily.

"10 minutes to 3. Why do you always ask for the time when you are wearing a watch? Weird."

Haruka got up, stretched himself and yawned. He looked at his watch which has stopped long ago, his eyes resonating pain as he remembers the accident years ago… The dream that he had earlier, he couldn't remember… but somehow, it seems like he didn't want to remember it either. "Rin…" Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he headed for the pool.

* * *

Haruka became a swimming coach after graduating. He went pro during his school days but he had inherited a heart disease which made him unable to swim competitive again… Any vigorous exercise could lead to a heart failure. His love for water didn't vanish when he found out that he was probably going to die young. He still loved water and wanted to swim…

Haruka's father brought him up with a heavy hand, expecting a lot from his only son. When Haruka was diagnosed with an inherited heart disease and would never be able to swim competitive again, his father was disappointed… To make matters worse, Haruka's rival became the Ace of the Swim team and was showered with much more care and concern as compared to him by Haruka's father. It was as if Haruka was not his son…

The first time Haruka met Rin was when Rin moved to Iwatobi. Rin loves swimming and would be joining the Iwatobi Swim Team so he went to the swimming complex to take a look at the new environment he would be in. There, he saw a dejected boy sitting at the corner. Curious, he went to approach the young Haruka and apparently, Haruka had taken 2 seconds longer than usual when his father timed him. His father had scolded him for being complacent and not practicing enough even though Haruka swims everyday… Ever since Rin approached Haruka, they became good friends. They went to the same school and were in the same class. It was as if they were brought together by fate.  
But all good things eventually come to an end...

* * *

After Haruka's swimming lesson, he headed for the Director's office. It used to be his father's but not any more. Age was catching up with Haruka's father so he retired 2 years ago.

"I quit."

"What?! fine fine. go on a vacation and come back!"

The new Director of the Swimming Team was very nice to Haruka. Giving in to his demands and letting him go for occasional breathers/ vacations knowing that he has not completely gotten over the accident. He knew that Haruka would never abandon the Swimming Complex since it held all his memories, good or bad.

* * *

Haruka gathers his belongings the next morning and left on his bicycle. He had no place in mind to go to but he just wanted to leave and relax. Tired after riding aimlessly for a few hours, he sat down to eat his packed lunch.

"Kyaaaa!"

Haruka heard some screams and look at the direction it came from. He dashed up the stairs and caught the falling girl. She was carrying a lot of luggage a missed a step hence, falling off the stairs. If not for him, she would probably be lying at the foot of the staircase, bleeding to her death...

She thanked him profusely and asked what he was doing in the rural areas... Seeing his backpack and bicycle, she guessed that he was travelling alone so she offers him a place to stay as a form of gratitude for saving her.

"Come by if you wish to! It's Just around the bend. A watch shop." She smiled and the taxi drove off.

Haruka didn't have any plans of going to that girl's house but as he was packing up, he noticed that his bicycle's tire had deflated slightly. He went over to check quickly and realised that there was a nail stuck in it... He would not last unless he had his tires replaced but there were no bicycle shops around. Left with no choice, he headed for the said watch shop...

* * *

He stood before the watch shop. It was bigger than he expected it to be...

Just as he was about to press the door bell, the door swung open

"ah! you're here! come in. come in"

Behind the girl, appears a young man, probably the same age as him or perhaps younger.  
"Rin...?" Haruka whispers but the young man heard him.  
Haruka stares at the young man because he somehow reminds him of Rin...

Pushing the young man aside, the girl grabs on to Haruka's arm and tugs him into the house.


	2. the wounded heart

"erm... I need"

But Haruka was cut off by the girl who drags him around the house, showing him the place. When he tried to address the matter regarding the bicycle, she ignores and goes on.

"Oh Misaki! You're back!" an old man appeared from the room

"Sensei I'm home~"

"Who is that beside you?"

"ah... this is..."

"Hi. I am Haruka Nanase. Nice to meet you"

Before the old man could continue, "Nee~ Haruka-san why don't you stay here tonight?"

Being pressurized, Haruka agrees to stay but only for a night.

* * *

The young man walks in to the house with a few parcels in his hand and headed for the room where the old man came from. "That room is the workshop right?" Haruka thought to himself. Misaki was overly excited and Haruka could barely catch what she said when she showed him around the house.

"ah Haruka-san... Don't mind him. He is always like that, that Ma-kun..."

"Ma-kun?"

"Don't call me Ma-kun. Its Makoto" the young man comes out and overheard them talking. He glares at Haruka as if it was hate at first fight...

Misaki walks over to the kitchen and asks Haruka to just make himself comfortable.

"OH MY GOSH! What in the world happened here?!" Screeched Misaki. The old man and Makoto rushes out of the workshop and headed for the kitchen. Haruka joins them to see what has happened.

A table filled with junk food, sink filled with unwashed plates and cutleries. The whole kitchen was in a mess...

"Ma-kun's cooking was terrible. There was no choice..."

Makoto does not bother to defend himself, fully aware of his hideous cooking that could have killed...

"Let me do the packing. I'm good at it." Haruka then pushes them out of the kitchen leaving Misaki protesting but he manages to convince her that he felt bad staying for free so he should at least help out with the Kitchen.

After cleaning up, he prepares dinner.

* * *

"Dinner is ready~" Haruka calls out to the 3 as he carries the food out carefully and lays them nicely on the dining table.

"Wow! This looks great! Itadakimasu~"

"Itadakimasu!"

They ate and sung praises for the wonderful dinner prepared by Haruka. Makoto who sucks at cooking was shocked that the food tasted really good but doesn't say anything...

Haruka notices Makoto staring at him but continues to eat, ignoring Makoto.

* * *

Haruka lays in bed thinking about how Makoto reminds him of Rin but their personalities were far apart.  
His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the bed room door.

"Oi! What are doing on my bed?!"

"Your bed? Oh Misaki said..."

Makoto went over and pulled the futon off the bed causing Haruka to fall onto the floor.

"way too different.." Haruka says to himself but Makoto had sharp hearing...

"What's different?"

"It's none of your business"

"yeah whatever. You're leaving tomorrow right?"

"i'll leave tmr after i fix my bicycle"

"I don't want to see you around tomorrow"

Makoto turns off the light and both of them drift into sleep...

* * *

"Wake up! Breakfast is ready"

Haruka has whipped up breakfast and was waking the asleep members up.

Misaki was still awfully sleepy... She was up late trying to finish making a teddy bear. She makes soft toys which are very popular around the world. Every plush was handmade, filled with love and there's only one in the whole world. There's never 2 that were the same.  
As she drags her reluctant body off the stairs, she slips and falls off the flight of stairs.

Haruka and Makoto rushes to see what has happened after hearing a scream which was followed by a loud crash.

"Are you okay?" Haruka tries to lift Misaki but she flinches as she tries to stand. Her hand instinctively moved to hold her ankle which was creating so much pain for her

"Misaki! It's probably a sprain. Let me take a look at it" Makoto moves forward and tends to Misaki.

After bandaging Misaki's ankle, they ate breakfast together.

* * *

After breakfast, Haruka makes his way to the workshop for the first time...

He sat at the table in the center of the room, watching the back of Makoto...

"Sensei, the watch has been fixed"

"hmmm..." The old man doesn't say anything else and focuses on his work

Getting bored after awhile, Haruka asks "grandfather, you're a watch maker?"

"grandfather? how can be so rude to..."

"Ma-kun its fine"

Makoto glares at haruka but continues to tell him how famous the old man was... The old man had been making watches every since young, his creations are famous and customers come from all over the world... When Makoto was done, silence fell upon the room...

Haruka looks at his watch... sorrow filled his eyes...

Makoto turns and saw Haruka looking intensely at the watch on his wrist before turning back quickly when he noticed that Haruka was going to look up

Haruka left the room soon after to look after Misaki and prepare lunch

* * *

After lunch, Makoto goes to the garden to get some herbs for Misaki while Haruka went to the workshop to find the old watchmaker.

"grandfather..."

"What is it?" the old man has long noticed the watch on Haruka's wrist... He had expected Haruka to come to him...

"Do you think you can fix this watch for me?" Haruka removes the watch and passes it to the old man

"This... is a watch i made long ago..."

"eh! really?!"

The watchmaker inspects the watch, checking to see what went wrong...

"ah this... the core of the watch is damaged." The old man opens the watch, pulls out a minute piece and holds it up for Haruka to see.

"Look, this is like the heart of the watch. Once it is damaged, the watch will not work. But this can be replaced easily unlike a human's heart... Get Makoto to replace the core of the watch for you"

The words struck Haruka and sent him into deep thought when he left the workshop...

"rin... rin..."


	3. kiss?

"Haruka-san... I'm so sorry for making you stay for so many days"

"It's okay. I had no where to go anyway plus i have yet to fixed my bicycle."

"Haruka-san..."

"It's really alright Misaki-san. Don't worry about it"

It was Haruka's 3rd day staying at the house. The watch maker was going to drive Misaki to the hospital to have a check for her leg so Haruka and Makoto would have to watch over the house...

Just before the watch maker left, he calls out to Makoto and whispers "Go fix Haruka's watch"

Makoto looks at the watchmaker puzzled, unable to comprehend why he was given such a task. "Fix that watch... What did it mean?"

"Then we'll be leaving! I don't think we will be back until tomorrow so take care of the house!"

"Have a safe trip, sensei. and Misaki"

Haruka follows Makoto in to the workshop to kill time...

* * *

"That watch... is it yours?"

"kind of... it was a friend's watch"

"Rin?"

"ah... how did you..."

"you were calling out her name in the night... Who is this 'rin' person?"

Haruka kept quiet... unwilling to speak of his once bestfriend... Makoto got annoyed hence decides to shut up and not talk to someone who does not respond to him.

"When a watch spoils, why do people bother fixing it? Shouldn't they just toss it away?"

"WHAT?! toss it away? do you have any idea how much effort and time is taken to make such a delicate item? The small gears that have to be placed piece by piece? What do you even know?!"

"When it's no damaged, it's thrown away! Like how i was!"

"Was it your parents? or... rin?"

"You really know how to rub salt on people's wound don't you?"

Haruka runs out of the workshop... tears in his eyes...

Makoto stood alone in the workshop and remembered what the watchmaker said earlier...

"Go fix Haruka's watch"

Makoto flashbacks Haruka's painful expression when he was looking at the watch.

Understanding why the watchmaker asked him to fix the watch, He rushes out of the house.

* * *

"Haruka!"

Makoto runs after Haruka but Haruka was way too fast for him...

When he finally catches a glimpse of Haruka, he tries to speed up. Haruka stands still giving Makoto a chance to catch up but just before he could reach out to Haruka, he watched the body crumble to the ground...

"Haruka! Are you okay?!" Makoto holds on to Haruka tightly.

Haruka's pulse was weak... He had passed out due to his weak heart but Makoto was not aware of Haruka's condition. He carries Haruka and runs back to the house. In his panicked state, he drives Haruka to the hospital to seek help.

* * *

*Hospital*

"Are you his family member?"

"No but we are living together... for now"

The doctor tells Makoto about Haruka's heart condition... informing him that Haruka must not engage in any vigorous activities because his weak heart may not be able to take it. His collapse today was not serious as Makoto had driven him to the hospital immediately. However, if there was too much delay, the situation could turn out to be more serious...  
That doctor recognizes Haruka because he has went to many hospitals for alternative opinions, hoping to be able to swim competitive again... He told Makoto the story of Haruka going around seeking treatment for his heart disease but to no avail.

Makoto was shocked. He never knew that Haruka was suffering so much on his own... He though rin was just some ex-girlfriend who Haruka could not get over and Haruka was just some brat that ran away from home but it did not turn out to be what he had expected. Haruka had to give up his dream and change his whole life, he had been through so much hardships. More than anyone who was of the same age...

Haruka remains unconscious so Makoto spends the night at the hospital, holding on to Haruka's hand and praying for him to wake up...

* * *

Haruka stirs in bed causing Makoto to wake...

He checks his phone and saw that there were no miss calls. "Guess Sensei and Misaki are not home yet..."

Seeing Haruka lying in bed, Makoto sighs. "haruka..."

Makoto plants a kiss on Haruka's forehead before going to get some breakfast... As he walked, he wondered why he had kissed haruka...


	4. Haruka's past

~Dream~

*6 years ago*

"Rin! you're late!"

"Sorry sorry... I met an old woman who needed help so i lent her a hand"

"Who is more important? That old woman or me?"

Haruka blushed upon saying such things. He was totally regretting it... Whereas Rin just smirked and continued to apologize.

"rin... do you have any idea what time it is?"

Looking at his watch, he smiles and shows Haruka his watch  
"hmmmm... it's 6.30?"

"oh rin... its already 7! that watch has stopped 30 minutes ago"

"sorry... i'll make it up to you for sure"

"just how many times have you said that already?!"

They laughed and joked, enjoying each other's company. Even though they had missed their movie, it didn't matter as long as they had each other...

Haruka steps out on to the road while rin followed behind  
*phone rings*

"moshi moshi. ah i see... so what do you intend to do?"

Fully engaged in the phone call, Haruka did not realize the oncoming car... Before he knew anything, he felt himself being pushed full alot of force. Haruka falls as he hears the screeching of the tires followed by a loud bang. He steadies himself and turns towards where rin was lying.

"rin... rin?"

He moves towards the limp body lying in the puddle of dark red... Rin lays on the road motionless despite Haruka shaking him and calling out to him.

"RIN!"

For Haruka, his time has stopped since that moment.

* * *

"Rin!" Haruka jolts up from bed

"oh you're finally awake. had a nightmare?"

"where am i?"

Makoto laughs.

"Hospital. Don't you remember what happened?"

Haruka thinks hard but his mind was filled with his dream, filled with what happened 6 years ago...  
"not really..."

"ah well... since you're up, why don't you have some food? You've been in a deep sleep for a whole day. I thought you were dead or something"

"what about grandfather and misaki?"

"They are at home."

"Nanase-san. Yuuta-sensei would like to have a check up to see if we can discharge you today..."

"hai~"

"You have to be very careful okay? No vigorous or activities that would affect your condition. I don't want you being sent back here unconscious."

Haruka laughs and reassures the doctor that he would be perfectly fine.

* * *

During the car ride back home, it was awfully silent.  
Makoto did not know what to say because he was still troubled by his own actions...  
Whereas Haruka had nothing to say. He knew that he has worried Makoto but he was not sure if he should apologize or thank him or both...  
They have too much on their mind to start a conversation.

Just before turning in to the house, Makoto stops the car...

"Haruka..."

"what? why did you stop the car?"

"who exactly is rin?"

"huh all of a sudden..."

"tell me"

"i dont see why i need to tell you..."

"tell me" Makoto pulls Haruka by the tie, their faces barely an inch away...

Haruka pulls away...  
"fine. well, rin... he was my best friend. We swam together in the same Swim Team, went to the same school... We were always together as if it was a natural thing..."

"Something happened right? What happened?"

Haruka pours out all the years of suppressed emotions... Telling Makoto the whole accident and how the watch became his.

"Haruka. Remove your watch"

"eh?" though shocked, Haruka complies and passes the watch to Makoto

Makoto checks the watch and places it near his ear...

"grandfather said the heart or something was damaged i think"

"yeah... the core of the watch had been damaged but it can be replaced. I'll fix it for you"

"huh?"

"this watch belongs to you. its not rin's anymore"

Placing the watch in his pocket, Makoto starts the car again and drives into the compounds.

Without the stopped watch bounded to his wrist, Haruka's time started to flow again...

* * *

"Okaeri Ma-kun, Haruka-san"

"tadaima"

Makoto heads over to the workshop to fix Haruka's watch while Haruka was pulled away by Misaki to try her new herbal concoctions... the old watchmaker went out for a walk in the garden, leaving the younger ones to work.

After awhile, Haruka frees himself from Misaki and goes to the work shop to find some tools to fix his bicycle.

* * *

"I'll be borrowing these okay?" Haruka asks as he grabs afew things from the workshop.

"yeah"

Just as Haruka heads for the door, Makoto calls out to him

"wait"

"What is it?"

"I... erm..." Before he could finish, Haruka had crossed the room over to where Makoto stood. He felt Haruka's lips against his... Makoto kisses back, letting his emotions overcome his senses. The kiss... though a little rough but passionate.

As Haruka breaks their contact, he leans closer and whispers  
"Don't say anything. I know."  
He then walks off to fix his bicycle, leaving Makoto standing alone in the workshop, a little overwhelmed by the kiss


	5. feelings expressed

Dear readers, please don't mind the foul language at the end... I could not find much civilized words that would pass the same message. Thank you for reading! I hope that you'll review the chapters so that i know how i can improve! Thank you~

* * *

"I'm done!" Haruka looks at his bicycle, beaming with satisfaction as he admires his work. He had replaced the tires and polished the bicycle till it shone.

When Misaki and the old watchmaker went to the hospital, they went to get a bicycle tire to replace Haruka's deflated ones... Even thought they told him to rest and not overdo things, he made the wonderful meals for the "family".

Makoto worked on fixing Haruka's watch and a few other watches that were mailed to the watch maker in hopes of getting it fixed. He kept thinking about the kiss and could not focus...

* * *

Haruka sits at the sofa, slipping peppermint tea while enjoying a book he had brought along. He stared at the book but his mind was not focused on the book... He knew that Makoto felt something for him but he was rather reckless to initiate a kiss when he was not even certain of the other party's feelings... He knew that Makoto had kissed him on the forehead when he was in the hospital but that might just be an act of concern and nothing else.

Haruka knew he must leave. If he stayed any longer, it might become too awkward for him and Makoto... Since his bicycle was fixed, he planned to leave the next morning.

He goes to Misaki's room to inform him that he will be leaving in the morning.

"Misaki"

"ah! Haruka-san! Come in"

"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning..."

"ehhh won't you stay longer?" She gives him the puppy eyes but it doesn't work on him.

"I can't trouble all of you any longer. And if i don't return, the director is going to come after me..."

"if you say so... wished that you could stay longer"

"then, if you'll excuse me" haruka headed for the door. Just as he was about to leave, Misaki calls out to him

"Come by when you are free. You'll be welcomed here"

"Thank you Misaki" Haruka smiles and leaves.

Only to be shocked to see Makoto outside. He quickly closes the bedroom door.

"You're leaving tomorrow?"

"eavesdropping?"

"I don't do stupid stuff like that."

"heh. yeah im leaving tomorrow morning..." Haruka avoids eye contact with Makoto. And Makoto looks away, not wanting to make eye contact either

"I have not fixed the watch yet... I've ordered the part from the manufacturing company. It would probably take a week or so..."

"ah i see..."

"Come with me" His voice now stern and demanding

"What are you..." Before Haruka could finish his sentence, Makoto grabs him by the arm and tugs him to Makoto's bed room.

* * *

Makoto closes the door behind them. Locking it before he pulls Haruka and pushes him onto the bed.

He then leans over slowly, both hands gripping on to Haruka's wrist to hold him down. Haruka was much stronger and could easily break free but he does not resist.

"Makoto..."

"Haru...ka..."

He lifts his head and kisses Makoto strongly, pushing his tongue through and dominating him.

Makoto was shocked and tries to pull away but the moment he let go of Haruka's wrists, Haruka grabs onto Makoto and turns him so that their positions are now reversed. Haruka on top of Makoto.

"Don't move" Haruka warns and kisses Makoto deeply, his tongue exploring the depths of Makoto's mouth. Makoto wraps his hands around Haruka's neck, pulling them closer together.

"I... Lo...ve...you..." Makoto manages to say between his gasps for air

Haruka stops. He removes himself from Makoto and made his way to the door, only to be stopped by the other man's hands that wrapped around him tightly. Makoto tightens his grip on Haruka, his face buried into Haruka's back and whispers "Don't leave... dont..."

Haruka placed his hands over Makoto's but pulls at both hands to free himself from the grip. Haruka turns around, looking straight at Makoto making him feel uncomfortable. He tried to look away but Haruka cupped his chin, forcing Makoto to look back at Haruka. Makoto struggles but Haruka overpowered him.

"Going out with me is more than just kisses and hugs. I don't wish to hurt you"

Haruka lets go of Makoto and reaches for the door

"I'm not hurt and i won't be. I love you"

"that won't do..."

And Haruka leaves the room. Makoto fell to the ground, heartbroken by the rejection but very confused since Haruka was just kissing him seconds ago... He did not know how to feel, did not know what to do.

* * *

Meal times where the most painful for Makoto. He was seated across Haruka at the table which made him feel very awkward. At times, he felt that Haruka was staring at him but he gets reminded of the rejecting and tells himself that it was impossible. "You're such a fool" he thought to himself

* * *

*Makoto's bedroom*

When Makoto returned to his bedroom, Haruka has already laid out the futon and tucked himself in. Makoto's bed was at a corner of the room and the futon at the other...

"Haruka... asleep?"

Haruka was not but he didn't want to reply so he kept quiet hoping that Makoto would not notice him being awake.

Makoto turns off the lights and climbs into bed. No words were shared between the two after the incident.

Makoto couldn't sleep. Haruka was running through his mind, the rejection, the kiss and the watch. He had too much to think about, too much to sort out. Troubled, he started to sob...

"Makoto?"

"sorry did i wake you?"

"no"

"sorry"

"what for?"

"For everything"

"..." Haruka did not know what Makoto meant by 'everything'.

Haruka stands up and walks over to Makoto's bed...

"move"

"eh?"

Haruka pulls off the blanket and tucks himself next to Makoto, pulling Makoto into a tight embrace. Makoto snuggles towards Haruka, despite his confusion, he thought he has finally seen Haruka's real feelings...

* * *

Sunlight shot through the windows and landed on Makoto's eyes. He stirred and his hands rubs over the portion of the bed where Haruka was supposed to be... He felt nothing... nothing?

He jolt up, shocked that Haruka was not there. He ran down the stairs, three steps at a time.

"ohaiyo Ma-kun~"

"Where's Haruka?"

"oh? he left long ago. why?"

"fuck" Makoto muttered under his breath

He dashes back to his room and gets changed, wanting to chase after Haruka until he saw a small note on his bedside table...

It read:

"Dear Makoto

Sorry that i have to leave before you woke up because i figured that you didn't like good byes. If i see you shed a tear, I may lose my resolve and continue to stay. Forgive me for being such a coward and not accepting your feelings even though i'm glad you felt the same.

Sorry and goodbye

-Haruka"

"what... just like that? he's throwing me away just like that?! what the fuck!"


End file.
